Ben Chrisman

Ben Chrisman, WPJA's Photographer of the Year in 2007 and first runner up in 2015, is a destination wedding photographer based in Charleston, South Carolina. Ben has consistently been ranked among the very best wedding photographers in the world for the last 10+ years.

Judges

Just a classic, funny moment captured. I really loved all the expressions and the mom grabbing her son – very nice. What made this image rise to first place for me was the spontaneity and the fact the photographer included several great expressions in one frame.

The pride revealed in the faces and actions of each parent are marked by the tears they struggle to contain as their son begins his own family. A marriage is one of many milestones, not just for parents but for our close community circle. It’s no wonder that weddings are an ideal assignment to discover real, honest and accurate moments. I particularly liked this image because it is an example of turning a subtle, fleeting moment of mood and feeling into an “action-packed” visual memory.

Judges

Subtle moment of emotion as the groom gently removes a tear of joy from his bride. Nice depth of field where the lens is focused on the bride and everything else is soft focus.

A simple touch can say it all and this bride signals such with her radiant smile and adoring eyes. The message was received loud and clear. Shallow depth of field is the obvious, elegant way to highlight what this photo is all about.

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The light and shallow depth of field makes this a winner for me. Just a beautiful image as the bride reflects on the ring. You also get great detail in the ring and in her jeweled dress. It’s got a moody feel to it as the groom is just barely touched by the light. The tilt in composition helps focus on the ring.

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This shot takes planning and seeing beyond just a cake photo. Technically this is a strong image as well as it’s a nice moment between the bride and groom. It’s framed beautifully and the warm orange glow throughout on the exterior and interior helps give it a sense of time and place.

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There is great light on the bottle which really makes those drops sparkle. The narrow depth of field can really highlight and focus our attention on the subject. The guys are sharp enough so that we know what is going on, but that crisp narrow focus really drawn you in.

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Those luscious colors add to the festive moment of a toast to the bride and groom. The sharp lines of the pool, along with the woman in the foreground with a raised glass, create nice entry points into the image and lead us to the table in the background where two glasses clink in celebration.

Judges

Tough category- a lot of really good moments. What really rose to the top were the spontaneous images where the photographer really had to be on his/her game to get the photo. There were also images that were good luck and timing combined. The number one image for me was a great little moment that the photographer saw and caught. I love the man's expression under the hug – very nice.

Is that the groom or a witness caught between the throes of reality and hope? The reality is clear - the wedding documents need a signed agreement. It’s the document that seals the ties that bind in an enduring legal document. Even in divorce the ink of those signatures never fades. But in hope, they mark the merging of two into one. You have to love this image, if nothing more than for its not-so-subtle message about the ties we bind and bridges built over trouble, or slightly perturbed waters.

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If the perfectly coiffed dog in the background is inspiration for the tattooed man grooming himself in the foreground, then he has a long way to go before he’s ready for the show. Nonetheless, the photographer noticed a fun juxtaposition of “fluffy” and, well, “toughy."

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Great seeing and use of color on the part of the photographer. A classic example of an ordinary situation made extraordinary by moving around, finding the right angle and using the mixed light qualities.

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Good job of utilizing color and tonality to create a graphically strong image, and capturing just the right moment before the make-up brush actually touches the woman's face adds a sense of anticipation to the moment. The symmetry of the image contributes to its strength, which makes me wonder if cropping from the right - to eliminate the break in the curtains so that the right side would better mirror the left - would have made the photo even better.,

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I absolutely love the graphics and the colors of this image but I must say it doesn't tell me a lot about the couple itself. Unless it's that they are each individuals or we anticipate a divorce. But it's so strong in the other respects that I felt the need to give it recognition. This and the many of the others which have placed after this are similar in that respectâ€”that they are composed really well and are nice photos but it's hard to learn about the subject. It's not surprising, I suppose in an association of photojournalists that prides itself on documentation.

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Pros: Incredibly good insight on the part of the photographer in seeing this, solving the technical/metering/focus issues and making it look so natural. Cons: I wonder about doing it in B + W or cropping a bit of the top 15% and the bottom 10% to keep the viewer's eyes on the subject and not wandering away too fast.

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I love the inclusion of the lights in the background as well as the perfect exposure for the flame and face. The lit face would have been a nice frame on its own but the lights take it to another level.

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This one has a great mood and feel. The body language and framing of the couple is perfect and speaks to my obsessive-compulsive compositional tendencies. I do think it would have been better cropped or shot tighter though. I’d take the building out of the left and come down from the top, keeping the true horizontal dimensions.

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Back light would have helped separate their heads from the ceiling, improving the composition. It would have made the image read faster.
Their expressions are wonderful and the choice to go low and wide with plenty of depth of field works perfectly.

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Great expressions, a moment that offers a glimpse into this couple's big, nervous moment. The black-and-white image allows the viewer to go straight to the faces and interlocked hands without getting sidetracked by color. Nice, elegant photograph.

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Great moment and expression. Some photographers might have shot it really tight but keeping it looser and giving his eyes room to the left and keeping the hands/glasses in gives it the context it needs to tell the story.

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The lines lead right to the penultimate emotion, which is why I choose this image. It is a wonderful moment and the photographer used focus and composition to take me straight to it. The inclusion of the hand of the person doing the service in the upper right hand corner was the touch that made the final difference.
The shallow depth of field was perfect. The high contrast helped eliminate some of the ceiling, a distraction that I think could have been avoided only by 1) the use of artificial light--which would have helped with the background but probably would have ruined the moment or 2) getting slightly higher to take the image which would have helped with the ceiling but could have meant compromising the “hand” and also would have moved the bride’s parents into a different background, again defeating the purpose.

Judges

The look on the bride’s face says it all. It’s unexpected for the groom to be that risqué on the dance floor, I would think. I would have preferred to have her eyes in the frame but her mouth says it all. The un-tucked shirt on the man on the right tells me it’s later in the reception and they’ve probably had a few drinks. Good thing the photographer stuck around for this great moment and took a chance with unusual composition to make this image.

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The backlight and composition makes this a beautiful image. It has a timeless quality to it. You can almost smell the salt of the ocean. Certainly this is an image that this couple has hanging on their wall.

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Beautiful light and moment of this couple embracing. Shot from a distance where the glasses of champagne are all highlighted.
The composition in this photo makes it stand out. The white wine in the glasses and sunset are perfectly exposed. Backing off and using the window frames, captures the simplicity of a toast in high fashion.

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This picture exhudes elegance. The lighting, position of the couple dancing, and the angle of the photo are what makes this stand out.
The use of color and composition creates a beautiful mood and makes this a strong image

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Nice quiet moment of a child in the arms of one of the guests. I like the composition of the champagne glass and the child's expression.
Quiet. Nice. Simple elegance. Glad the photographer resisted the temptation to go tighter. Negative space emphasizes the emotion.
The feeling and the light to convey the feeling makes this photograph a winner. The cropping (in the camera or in the print), isolates the important information to be set forward in this image.

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It's not straightforward. You have to strain to see the object. The exposure is properly used to pass the message of the picture to the viewer. It also shows the mood of the situation and properly uses the special architecture of the church.

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The spacing and composition of this picture make it; the curve of the grass and the girl's hands as she looks at the boy running up the hill of green grass. Doesn't this take you back to somewhere, a dream space, a point in time where things were simpler, more optimistic and you could just feel the warm air on your body?

Judges

Sums up the last minute nature of "Getting Ready". Chaos can be fun. Good interaction, expression and timing tell the story and propel this entry to the top. Besides being a funny moment, this picture also offers some other nice elements. One of those being the composition. The black-and-white image really allows the patterns in the room to be emphasized. You've got diagonals, verticals and horizontals throughout the image, but it still looks clean for some reason. Ironing board legs cross as do the arms of the two women on the left. Lastly, I like how they've turned a potentially dangerous situation into a humorous one.

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I appreciate the similicity and solitude of this image. Not all dancing images have to be of the wild-and-crazy variety. Sometimes it pays to look for the quiet moments that might happen, for example: before, after, or between songs.

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This is an unusual engagement portrait. It's just the shadows of the couplen not a photo of the couple themselves. But it's delightful. The colors are warm and, no pun intended, engaging. The image itself is a suburban landscape, perhaps taken in the couples neighborhood or in front of their house. The compostion is similar to the social documentary style of Lee Friedlander. Kudos to the photograper for seeing this but leaving in all the light and visual atmosphere of the neighborhood without cluttering up the image.

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This image is quite different, and I couldn't help but come back to it time and again. Well done to try something that is quite a departure from the traditional. The composition alone wouldn't have pulled it off, but the body language of the bride and groom is what sells it.

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Really nice found moment in the chaos of getting ready for the big day.
Just a wonderful Americana image. The lovely color adds to this moment. I liked that I did not feel the photographer's presence at all.

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Great mood and composition. Photograph creates a feeling of heading into the future together and would be a nice ender to the day's story line.

4 Client Letters

The following letters are from the clients of Ben Chrisman.

Married: 8 years ago

Betsy & Hansen

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I've watched our slideshow about 17 times since you posted it yesterday, and have spent at least 10 hours in the online gallery. The amazing thing is, when I watch the slideshow for the 18th time, I know I'll tear up yet again, and laugh yet again. You just captured the emotion so exquisitely and told the story of our day so beautifully that I feel like I'm re-living each moment. It's even more fun to see the moments that I didn't see as the day unfolded. I had no idea that I laughed out loud at the alter when the minister started to tear up until I saw your pictures of my expression!
I could gush for pages about why finding you both was the best decision we made for our wedding and why you really are the best photographers in the world, but you already have the photos and the awards that speak for themselves. I'll thank you instead for being so surprisingly humble for someone so acclaimed. Thank you for being so non-invasive in capturing the story of the day as it unfolded instead of taking it over. And thank you for being so truly passionate about your work. When Ben got excited about a great shot- we all got excited!
After seeing you both for our last two family gatherings, I think we're all going to be a bit disappointed when you don't show up for Christmas. I'm going to start badgering my brothers to hurry up and get married so we can do this again!
Wishing you both all the happiness that you've given to us

Married: 10 years ago

Vicki & Jacob

Our Dearest Ben-
It has been said that really great talent is that which finds its happiness in execution. This quote, I think, addresses you completely - your work is nothing short of remarkable, and your love for the camera shines through every photograph. There is no doubt that hiring you was far and away the best decision of our wedding. But the pictures were only half of it....the other is that we made a great new friend. How beautiful and rare to find someone who is so in touch with life that he can literally transport you back in time through the lens of a camera...how wonderful and uplifting to encounter someone in this industry who actually makes you more aware of the joy your wedding represents...
We are forever in your debt for the amazing photographs. We are even more indebted for the kindness and patience that is you. It was a blast and we can't wait to see you again. Miss you tons

Married: 10 years ago

Kendra & Chris

Ben,
Chris and I don't even know where to begin. You are truly the best! Not only was your photography the most incredible thing my family has ever seen, your personality and charm won us all over. You were so helpful throughout the day in so many ways. We will never be able to repay you for everything you did for us. You made me feel the most calm I have ever felt my whole life on the most 'stressful' day of my life; for that I thank you with all my heart! Every single picture you took at our wedding is a beautiful piece of art; that is what sets you apart from every other wedding photographer out there. You captured every single perfect moment of our perfect day - the funniest moments, the excitement of the day and most importantly, you perfectly captured our love for each other. So, thank you Ben! We love you and everything you are doing for the couples you photograph! We were so blessed to have you

Married: 10 years ago

MJ & Mike

Dearest Ben,
We've run out of superlatives to describe your brilliant work. All we can say now, again and always is thanks for the beautiful pictures. Hiring you was definitely the best decision by far about our wedding. Planning for our big day took a completely different course once we booked you, as if the bar had been "raised" because of the quality and standard your photos would attribute. We were more excited about our photos than anything, the marriage itself being a given.
We're so glad your availability opened up for our date because it could've been the biggest regret of our lives had it not. You are an incredible photographer with pure talent, dedication, passion and humility. You've always given us more than what was required of a professional. Thanks for having been such a pleasure to work with, for your tireless spirit, dedication to the art and continuing to inspire us with your work

13 TOP Wedding Photographer Titles

The WPJA proudly recognizes Ben Chrisman as a TOP International Wedding Photographer. Members holding the most contest points at the end of each year are ranked as TOP Wedding Photographers.